第13部分（第1页）

〃Very　clean；〃　said　the　house　doctor。　〃Very　clean　and　nice。〃

〃Urn；〃　said　the　doctor　with　the　beard。　The　third　doctor　looked　over　the　house　doctors　shoulder。

〃Please　move　the　knee；〃　said　the　bearded　doctor。

〃I　cant。〃

〃Test　the　articulation？〃　the　bearded　doctor　questioned。　He　had　a　stripe　beside　the　three　stars　on　his　sleeve。　That　meant　he　was　a　first　captain。

〃Certainly；〃　the　house　doctor　said。　Two　of　them　took　hold　of　my　right　leg　very　gingerly　and　bent　it。

〃That　hurts；〃　I　said。

〃Yes。　Yes。　A　little　further；　doctor。〃

〃Thats　enough。　Thats　as　far　as　it　goes；〃　I　said。

〃Partial　articulation；〃　said　the　first　captain。　He　straightened　up。　〃May　I　see　the　plates　again；　please；　doctor？〃　The　third　doctor　handed　him　one　of　the　plates。　〃No。　The　left　leg；　please。〃

〃That　is　the　left　leg；　doctor。〃

〃You　are　right。　I　was　looking　from　a　different　angle。〃　He　returned　the　plate。　The　other　plate　he　examined　for　some　time。　〃You　see；　doctor？〃　he　pointed　to　one　of　the　foreign　bodies　which　showed　spherical　and　clear　against　the　light。　They　examined　the　plate　for　some　time。

〃Only　one　thing　I　can　say；〃　the　first　captain　with　the　beard　said。　〃It　is　a　question　of　time。　Three　months；　six　months　probably。〃

〃Certainly　the　synovial　fluid　must　re…form。〃

〃Certainly。　It　is　a　question　of　time。　I　could　not　conscientiously　open　a　knee　like　that　before　the　projectile　was　encysted。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　doctor。〃

〃Six　months　for　what？〃　I　asked。

〃Six　months　for　the　projectile　to　encyst　before　the　knee　can　be　opened　safely。〃

〃I　dont　believe　it；〃　I　said。

〃Do　you　want　to　keep　your　knee；　young　man？〃

〃No；〃　I　said。

〃What？〃

〃I　want　it　cut　off；〃　I　said；　〃so　I　can　wear　a　hook　on　it。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？　A　hook？〃

〃He　is　joking；〃　said　the　house　doctor。　He　patted　my　shoulder　very　delicately。　〃He　wants　to　keep　his　knee。　This　is　a　very　brave　young　man。　He　has　been　proposed　for　the　silver　medal　of　valor。〃

〃All　my　felicitations；〃　said　the　first　captain。　He　shook　my　hand。　〃I　can　only　say　that　to　be　on　the　safe　side　you　should　wait　at　least　six　months　before　opening　such　a　knee。　You　are　wele　of　course　to　another　opinion。〃

〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　I　said。　〃I　value　your　opinion。〃

The　first　captain　looked　at　his　watch。

〃We　must　go；〃　he　said。　〃All　my　best　wishes。〃

〃All　my　best　wishes　and　many　thanks；〃　I　said。　I　shook　hands　with　the　third　doctor。　〃Capitano　Varini……Tenente　Enry；〃　and　they　all　three　went　out　of　the　room。

〃Miss　Gage；〃　I　called。　She　came　in。　〃Please　ask　the　house　doctor　to　e　back　a　minute。〃

He　came　in　holding　his　cap　and　stood　by　the　bed。　〃Did　you　wish　to　see　me？〃